


nothing comes from nothing

by empressearwig



Category: Psy-Changeling - Nalini Singh
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Matchmaking, Post-Series, Pupcubs, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:24:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressearwig/pseuds/empressearwig
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marlee comes to some realizations with the help of Julie Andrews and singing nuns.</p>
            </blockquote>





	nothing comes from nothing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tosca1390](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tosca1390/gifts).



> I hope this is many of your favorite things. Happy yuletide!

Marlee went to knock on the cabin's door, but it opened before her fist could meet the wood. 

"Hi, Marlee," Moira said, the thirteen-year old's face beaming at her in welcome. "Come in."

"Thanks, sweetie," Marlee said. She stepped into the space Moira left her, shut the door behind her. "Where are everyone else?"

"Eamon is in his room, doing something on the computer. Aeden and Declan are out back with Dad. I don't know where Mom is." Moira peeked into Mercy's office, found an empty room. "Mom!"

Marlee winced, rubbing discreetly at her ears. No one would ever say that the Kincaid children lacked lung capacity, that was for sure.

"No yelling!" came Mercy's reply. She emerged from the back hall where Marlee knew Riley had added on to the cabin when it became clear that they needed more space. She kissed Marlee's cheek in greeting. "Thanks for coming."

"It was my pleasure," Marlee said.

Mercy raised an eyebrow, amused. "Well, we'll see if you're still saying that after the weekend is over. Moira, go put Marlee's bag in the guest room, please."

"But--" Moira started to say, thought the better of it at the look on Mercy's face. "Right."

Marlee handed her the bag and tried not to laugh. "Thanks, Moira."

Moira flapped her hand back at Marlee over her shoulder as she trudged down the hall. 

Marlee decided to take that as a silent you're welcome and turned to Mercy. "So, what do I need to know?"

"Right," Mercy said. "Instructions. Come into the kitchen, I've attempted to write down everything I could think of, but I'm sure I missed something. The kids should be able to help, though. They're old enough to know most of this stuff themselves, now whether or not--"

"--they volunteer the information, that's a different story," Marlee finished for her. At Mercy's look, Marlee laughed. "I grew up in the den, Mercy. And I teach lots of teenage cats and lots of teenage wolves. There's not too much they could do that would surprise me."

"Don't say that too loudly," Mercy warned. "You'll give them ideas. Now, this--" she passed Marlee one list "--is their chore schedule. They are not allowed to skip them just because we'll be out of town for the weekend."

"Got it," Marlee said.

"This one--" another list passed over "--is phone numbers for everyone. You probably have most of them, but just in case. Our hotel, my parents, brothers, Tammy, Drew and Brenna, Lara--"

"Mercy," Marlee interrupted. She did her best to not look amused, but knew she'd failed utterly in the attempt. "Lara is my mother. I promise you, I have her phone number."

"Right," Mercy said, looking sheepish. "It's just that this is the first time that we've left them with anyone who wasn't family for the weekend. I may have overprepared."

"I understand," Marlee said, because she did. "I remember the first time my dad took Lara away for the weekend. Toby and I stayed with Judd and Brenna and my dad must have spent an hour giving Judd instructions, nevermind that Judd and Brenna watched us all the time. I'm not offended, Mercy." 

Mercy grinned at that and looked down at her lists then back up at Marlee. "You can probably read the rest of them if you need them, can't you?"

"Yes," Marlee said. 

The back door opened and Riley stepped inside, his t-shirt ripped a little on the shoulder and mud smeared on his face. "Step away from the lists, kitty cat."

Mercy turned to look at him, an appraising look on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest, as Riley tried to bend to kiss her. "I told you to behave, Kincaid. We're going to be late."

"It's vacation," Riley said. "There's no such thing." He bent down to kiss Marlee's cheek. "Hello, sweetheart."

Marlee's lips curled up into a smile. "Hi, Riley. When did you and Mercy swap personalities?"

Riley looked down at Mercy, amusement flickering around the corners of his mouth. "She has a point."

"I know she does," Mercy grumbled. She pushed Riley towards the hall. "Go shower. I'd like to leave before Marlee realizes what a terrible idea this is and leaves us without a pupcub minder."

" _Mom_ ," came Declan and Aeden's voices in outraged unison, from their spot at the door.

" _Boys_ ," Mercy said, mimicking them. 

The frowns on their faces only got deeper. Mercy laughed and went to kiss both of them. "Go, you both need showers too. What were you doing, mud wrestling?" She turned to Marlee. "I'd tell you it wasn't usually like this, but I'd be lying."

" _Mom_ ," Declan said again, his voice strangled. He avoided Marlee's eyes as he muttered, "Hey, Marlee."

Marlee didn't dare smile, even if he wasn't looking. Not when she knew Declan had a little crush on her. "Hey." She nodded at Aeden, who returned her nod with the stiffness one would expect from Riley's son and a teenage boy. And Marlee knew teenage boys. An older brother, Ben, and five classes of them a day had seen to that. 

And people wondered why she was single.

"I believe I told you to shower," Mercy reminded them, and they disappeared down the hall arguing about who got to shower first and what would happen if the other one used all the hot water again.

Mercy looked at Marlee with an apologetic expression on her face. "We are leaving eventually, I promise."

Marlee laughed. "Again, I remind you, I'm one of four siblings, five, if you count Sienna. I know from bedlam. Especially if you count Sienna."

"You do, don't you?" Mercy clearly meant it as a rhetorical question, because she didn't pause to give Marlee a chance to answer. "Do _you_ have any questions?"

"Nope," Marlee said, shaking her head. "I'll--we'll--be fine. I promise. And if not, I promise you can make me do this again."

Mercy pointed at her. "Don't think I won't take you up on that."

"I don't have a single doubt," Marlee said. She summoned her best no nonsense teacher voice, one that she knew didn't come close to a sentinel voice, but still seemed worth the effort. "Now, _go_."

Mercy laughed, but she went. Marlee considered it a personal triumph.

*

An hour later, when Mercy and Riley had finally gone, Marlee turned away from the door to find four sets of expectant teenage eyes fixed on her. "That's a little creepy," she said. "Blink or something."

She got a two real laughs from Moira and Eamon, a half smile from Aeden, and a high-pitched nervous laugh from Declan that Marlee pretended not to hear. Puberty wasn't kind to anyone, but that didn't mean she couldn't be.

"Look," Marlee said, "I'm not here to ruin your weekend. I'm sure you all think you're too old for a baby-sitter--"

A snort from Aeden.

"--but," Marlee continued, "that doesn't mean we can't have fun. So what do you all want to do?"

There was a knock on the door then and Marlee frowned at the pupcubs. "A little warning would have been nice."

"Sorry!" Moira said, looking sheepish. "I forgot."

"It's just Ben anyway," Eamon said.

Marlee frowned again. "Ben? What on earth--" She yanked open the door to find Ben lounging against the doorjam, a wide smile on his face. Something in her twinged at the smile, something that she refused to acknowledge despite how often it had been happening lately. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Hello to you too," Ben said. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head as he pushed past her and into the cabin. "Hey, guys. Moira."

"What are you doing here?" Marlee demanded.

Ben shot her a sidelong glance, and the thing twinged again. "Training with Aeden and Eamon, if that's alright with you. Riley asked me to come up since he wasn't going to be here this weekend. Is that okay with you?"

"Oh," Marlee said, deflated. She hadn't wanted him to be there to see her, not really, but-- "Of course it is."

"Good," Ben said, his mouth twitching with barely contained amusement. "Because you didn't really get a say." He looked back to the pupcubs. "You guys ready? Declan, Moira, you can come too if you want. We're just doing some tracking practice."

Marlee barely managed to contain the urge to stomp her foot. That was something else that had been happening far too often lately. "Benjamin."

Ben looked at her, his more dominant gaze meeting her own. "Yes?"

She held his eyes, and she could see his respect reflected back at her. "Get out."

He held her eyes for a moment longer and then clapped Aeden on the shoulder and steered him towards the door. "Let's go, boys. I know when we're not welcome."

The three boys and Ben clomped out of the cabin loudly, leaving Marlee and Moira alone inside. 

"You didn't want to go?" Marlee asked.

Moira shook her head. "I was sort of hoping you'd teach me to make the cookies you brought to the last family dinner." She grinned. "They were really good."

"Of course," Marlee said, touched. "We could have done that sooner if I'd known you wanted to."

"This is better," Moira said. "I've been tracking with my brothers. I have no desire to do it again."

Marlee laughed. "You know they're going to expect cookies when they get back and smell them."

"They can expect all they want," Moira said archly. "That doesn't mean I have to share."

Marlee wrapped her arm around Moira's shoulder and steered her towards the kitchen. "I like how you think, Moira Kincaid."

"I know," Moira said, smug grin fixed firmly in place.

*

Two hours later, the boys and Ben trooped back into the cabin, all of them covered in mud once again.

"It hasn't even been raining," Marlee said, exasperated. "Where did you manage to find mud twice in one day?"

"That's nothing," Moira snorted from her spot on the couch. "My brothers could find mud blindfolded and with a headcold."

"Showers," Marlee said, pointing back towards the bedrooms. "Now."

"But--" Eamon tried.

Marlee raised an eyebrow. "Did you not want the pizza that your sister and I went to the trouble of ordering for dinner?"

The boys went and Marlee turned to Ben. "Apparently the male pupcubs are mud magnets. What's your excuse?"

"I was with them?" Ben tried. He smiled at her, all wolfish charm under the layer of mud on his face. "Do I get to stay for dinner?"

"Not looking like that you don't," Marlee said sternly. "Honestly, Ben, you were supposed to be setting an example."

"It's not his fault," Moira said. "Come on, Marlee, let him stay."

"Yeah, come on, Marlee." Ben's voice dropped until it was a low caress against her skin. "Let me stay."

Marlee was suddenly very afraid they weren't talking about dinner anymore. She didn't step back, though she wanted to. "Do you have other clothes?"

Ben nodded, his eyes intent on her face. "In my truck."

"Then... yes."

"You can use my bathroom," Moira volunteered. 

"That's why you're my best girl," Ben said, still looking at Marlee. "I'll just go shower then."

He turned and went back outside before Marlee could say anything else, do anything else, think anything else. It was for the best, Marlee knew that. But that didn't mean--

"You know, I'm sure Ben wouldn't mind if you snuck in and washed his back for him," Moira said, sounding totally innocent despite the fact that it was anything but an innocent suggestion.

Marlee rounded on her. "Moira Kathleen Kincaid!"

Moira shrugged. "I'm just saying."

"Unsay it," Marlee ordered and escaped into the kitchen before Ben could come back into the house. Because if she saw him, she was afraid she'd want to turn Moira's suggestion into reality and that wasn't a reality she was prepared to live in.

Even if it seemed like a really, really good idea.

*

By the time the one pizza place that would deliver to the cabin made it with the food, everyone but Ben was out of the shower. When he finally emerged, his hair was still wet and his t-shirt clung in places where his skin was still damp. Or maybe the clinging was because of how wide his shoulders were, how broad his chest was. Marlee wasn't sure why she couldn't stop noticing his shoulders now, after all these years, but she wanted it to stop. 

"Grab a plate," she said, waving him towards the kitchen. "A vote was taken and we're eating in here."

"Oh yeah?" Ben said. He disappeared into the kitchen, but pitched his voice loud enough to so they--or her, really it was just her with her non-changeling ears--could hear. "What are we watching?"

Marlee laughed, and looked at Aeden and Eamon who were still visibly sulking. "Want to tell him?"

Eamon answered on a grumble. " _The Sound of Music_."

"Boys," Ben said. He came back into the living area, his plate piled high with pizza and shaking his head. "Why did you let Marlee pick?"

"How did you know it was her?" Declan asked. He sounded maybe a little bit jealous and Marlee gave Ben a warning look.

Ben gave her an imperceptible shake of his head. "Please, I've known Marlee for, what? Fifteen years now? I've been coerced into watching on more than one occasion."

"You like it," Marlee said, with a sniff. "Don't lie."

Ben gave her a pitying look. "I'm sure you think that." He looked around the room. "Where's my seat?"

Moira patted the spot next to her on the couch, which just so happened to be the empty spot next to Marlee. "There's one here!"

Marlee shot Moira a warning look, but Ben was already sliding into place next to her. "Thank you, sweetheart. I should have known my best girl would save me a seat."

"Oh, you mean Marlee?" Moira asked, as innocent as could be, despite being anything but.

"Moira," Marlee hissed.

"Are we watching this or not?" Aeden asked. "I'd like to get this torture over with as soon as possible so we can watch a real movie."

"Maybe we'll watch it _twice_ ," Marlee said, teasing him. She hit play. "Just for you."

Aeden groaned. 

Beside her, Ben laughed and Marlee could feel the vibration of it echo through her. She shivered. He turned his head towards her. "Cold?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Hm," Ben said. He shifted closer, his arm going around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. "Better?"

 _No_. It was nothing they hadn't done a million times before, but Marlee couldn't remember her heart ever beating like this before while they did it. She couldn't remember ever being so aware of Ben, of the size and shape of him, the way he smelled. She wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything.

"Marlee?" Ben asked. 

She looked up to find him looking down at her, worry and something she'd seen before but never recognized in his eyes. He felt this too, she was sure of it. 

"I'm fine," she said again. Deliberately, she set her hand on his thigh. She could feel the tension coiled in the muscle. "Promise."

"If you're going to make us watch this, the least you could do is keep your flirting to yourselves," Eamon said.

Marlee jerked her eyes away from Ben's face. "We weren't--"

Moira threw a pillow at Eamon.

"Moira!"

"What?" Moira asked with a shrug. "It slipped."

Ben laughed again and it bubbled through Marlee like the strongest of fizzy drinks. She tipped her head sideways so that it rested against his chest. Content, she watched the nuns sing.

*

One by one, the pupcubs abandoned the movie. Moira was the last holdout, and when she left after watching the Von Trapp children sing good night, she gave Marlee a smug, knowing look. 

Marlee didn't let it bother her. Much.

After all, it wasn't as if Moira hadn't been right. And looking back, she hadn't been the only one. Oh, Marlee had heard the comments from their friends and family before, had heard them for years. But she'd ignored them, because she hadn't felt that way about Ben. He'd been her best friend, the most important person in her life, but it had never been anything more. 

Now it was everything and Marlee couldn't imagine it being anything less.

Ben bent his head low, so that he could whisper in her ear. "We're alone."

Marlee nodded. "We are."

"The pupcubs aren't in the least bit subtle."

Marlee stifled a laugh. "Neither were you at thirteen."

"Oh, I beg to differ," Ben said, his eyes suddenly serious. "I loved you when I was thirteen. And you didn't know."

"Ben," Marlee said. She lifted her hand to his face, stretching her fingers across the plane of his cheek. "I always knew that."

He shook his head impatiently. "Not like that."

"Yes--why are we fighting?" Marlee asked. She shifted, turned herself so that she was facing him, her hands on his shoulders. "The pupcubs went to an awful lot of of trouble to leave us alone."

Ben smiled at that and set his hands on her hips, drawing her into him. "I suppose they did."

"It would be a shame to waste that, wouldn't it?"

"But this is your favorite movie, are you sure you don't want to--"

Marlee kissed him.

It wasn't their first kiss, or even their second or their third. There had been a stolen kiss when they were just children, a kiss that had left them not speaking to each other for weeks after. There were the kisses of friends they'd shared as teens, as Marlee grew more comfortable with the tactile needs of her changeling friends. Ben wasn't the only boy she'd kissed like that or the only boy she'd kissed where it meant more.

But none of those kisses had been like this. This, this was--it was right. That was the only word Marlee could think of to describe it. Ben's hands burned through the thin material of her shirt, until she could feel his hands against her like a brand. His mouth where it touched hers was insistent, but not demanding. He gave, not took, and it made her want to give him everything in return. 

It seemed like the most natural thing in the world when Ben pressed her back, down into the couch cushions. His weight over her was warm and welcome and she felt utterly safe and wanted, tucked there in the circle of his arms.

When they finally broke apart, Captain Von Trapp and Fraulein Maria were about to lead the children over the mountains and out of Austria.

"Huh," Ben said, out of breath and glancing at the screen. "Maybe I do like this movie after all."


End file.
